Trajan's Story Pt. 1
August 1st. I'm not really sure why I decided to write this. Maybe to deal with my frustrations of the Order. I have full faith in the leadership of my order. Let me be clear if anyone finds this and tries to use it as evidence against me. The council will no doubt bring us down the correct path in time. The amount of time though is frustrating. I prefer to act. With no order there is only chaos so I shall maintain my place and follow orders no matter how irritated I become. As a Knight Commander in the Vigilant Eyes of Helm I feel it's my place to push for Law, but I'm not high enough to enact the changes I feel are required. So I will do what I can for now while looking for solutions for later. October 1st This is becoming even more and more unbearable. The Empire that we've helped to maintain I feel it is slowly becoming more corrupt. Order is simple. Order is easy. Laws that contradict each other and create paths of different rules for different people helps create Chaos. The bureaucracy itself feels like straight chaos. I feel like I'm arguing against a brick wall for what needs to be changed. Those above me do not seem to see it. The knights underneath me seem to feel the same way but without the same convictions. A few squires seem to have come to the same conclusions I have. My meetings with my superiors and the Chaplains have done little to make my heart better. I feel Helm calling me to restore order. I just don't know how to do it. December 1st. 1 Month. 1 Month left or I shall take those squires who agree with me and leave to attempt to reinstall the Order that Helm requires. I cannot attack my brothers. I must find another way. Hopefully that can happen before I must leave. Before the frustrations grow so far that I become what we all fear. Dropping my oaths and becoming an Oath-Breaker. January 1st. The Time has come. I've talked to Mathew (a smith who will make a great knight one day), Mark (a cook) and Tim (a man more in line with being a cartographer than a future knight). They've decided to join with me on this quest. My convictions for this solidified after talking to the Seneschal of our Order. He expressly told me that I have orders to follow at my priory and he expects me to follow the orders given to me in the proper hierarchal order. I told him that I agree, for I honestly did, turned my back and walked away. I have Orders from Helm in my heart, in my mind and in my arm. His orders come before those stuck within the chaos that has become the leadership of this Empire. I've decided to head east into the Western Marches of The Empire towards the border - where I shall begin to forge a new path to create Order for an empire, for mankind and more importantly, Helm. ' ' March 20th We've entered a Town called Orlane. It's on the extreme border of the area officially under control of The Empire. Though control and law would be questionable. I doubt they have seen a true representative of the army or any order of Paladins come through here in decades. To the north of the Town is a huge mountain with a mountain range beyond that. To the East is large forests, and eventually if you go far enough (300+ miles) you’ll reach the capital that I left just a few months ago. To the west is also forests. To the south is a great swamp that most seems to avoid. The town itself is almost completely surrounded by a river that comes down out of the mountain that runs “X” like with the main road of the empire coming in the North East and leaving via the South West. I felt great upon entering when confronted almost immediately by a member of the town asking if I would be able to clear out an unused, goblin infested and generally dangerous temple to the area. It was a bit to the east and I couldn’t believe we had passed it on our way into town. Basel and his family seemed like good people. He gave directions to the temple but couldn't fathom who it belonged to. He just wanted a safe area for his family and those in the area to be able to pray again. I agreed while wondering how in the 9 hells I would be able to acquire the manpower to do this. Basel suggested an Inn for the four of us to stay at. The Slithering Serpent. Upon entrance to the Slithering Serpent we were given a flier for a party to be held there later that evening. As I stepped inside I noticed a fair amount of muscled men, dexterous elves and conniving individuals. I shouted out that I would pay for anyone's entrance to the party if they would join me on a quick quest tomorrow to clear out a local temple. A high elf (I believe from his features) named Aelamin Narundin (Ael from now on) quickly approached and said he would join me. No one else stepped up. I felt a bit thwarted and decided to talk to the owners, Belba and Ollwin A Husband and wife team who do a great job of making everyone feel at home. 2 gold for a penthouse. 1 gold for a solo room. Or 1 silver for a group room. They mentioned their competition right away which made me feel like they were honest hard-working folk. The Golden Grain Inn had been a great competitor of theirs but had an ownership change and things had gone steadily downhill from there. They decided to clear out the main room an hour or two before the party. On my way, upstairs to our rented room a Dragonborn, who appeared to be another noble, caught me and discussed joining me tomorrow. He said his name is Birger and I quickly agreed as he looked like a big boy. Big Boys generally help in tight situations. I decided to use the party as an information gathering opportunity. I didn’t expect to gather as much as I ended up getting. Talking to Belba between songs from some super ugly Firbolg(??? It had to be even though it was uglier than anything I’ve ever seen) and the beginning of a well-known local Half-Elf band, she was able to inform me that the old Temple belonged to Torm. Torm, being the Patron God of all Paladins as well as a close friend of Helms, I now felt it was an almost divine mission from Helm as this being the place to begin to set things right. I had thought and hoped it would be – that temple and the clearing of it I felt was confirmation of the feelings in my gut. The Dragon born from earlier was drinking with some locals in the middle of the room and Ael was standing on the far side of the room looking hawkishly towards everyone. 3 gnomes had entered while I was at the bar with 2 tough looking guards maintaining order for what I would expect could become some drunken debauchery. How wrong I was. Ael noticed a gnome moving quickly to the entrance and followed him. I happened to see one looking at me funny and stepped towards him. Quickly chaos ensued in that moment. Those “gnomes” ended up being goblins in disguises. Ael killed one quickly. I knocked out the one looking funny at me as the coward in guard clothing jumped over the bar towards the basement. The 3rd had taken a captive. It was at that point that I would come to realize Ael wasn’t a High Elf. But rather one of their close brethren, an Eladrin. Only an Eladrin with years of practice using a fey enchantment could so smoothly step from one spot and immediately have his dagger appear in the back of the gnome holding the hostage. My guess of him being a mage was quickly dispelled. Clearly a Rogue or assassin. All the while… that damned Dragon born just sat and drank. Useless. Like most of his race that travel, they are arrogant, lazy, selfish, single minded, and IMO useless creatures. I had hoped he would be different when he took the initiative to come talk to me about joining. Nope… Useless creature. At least real dragons have hordes of gold if you can bring them down. We found out that the hostage they took was a young human girl named Denya who happens to be best friends of an elven lady named Eleanor. Eleanor coincidently is the daughter of the mayor of the town. Interrogating the Goblin lead us to learn of a camp whose followers were called “Marked Ones”. Their camp was to the southwest. As I went to ask who leads them two bolts came through the window and killed the goblin immediately. Ael quickly jumped out the window to give chase. The dragon born and I made eye contact, wished each other well, and we both went to bed. Just a short time later I’m awoken to question the individual that Ael caught and brought back. Well done Ael. It’s a hobgoblin. He doesn’t answer much more new information so we decided to send him to the town jail to recover before asking him some more questions. The Capt. Of the town watch thanked us for our help and asked for my ability to lay on hands to heal some people hurt in the stampede out of the building earlier. I said of course. Following me out was that ugly creature. But! That ugly creature proved to be useful casting healing spells and giving out these cute little berries that nourished and healed at the same time. I would find out he was a Firbolg as I surmised. A local Druid who had met some terrible event causing terrible scarring on his face. His name was Kelxalim and I offered him a spot into the Companions of the Temple. March 21st Heading towards the Temple in the morning after finding a local merchant to sell goods we pandered off the bodies of the “gnomes” led us directly towards two Orcs. We decided to engage them in martial arms. Our “useful” dragon born moved up on my left. Our druid came behind while our Rogue decided to move off to the side to make better use of his ambush ability. Did I mention I find dragon born useless? He quickly took a hit from an Orc and dropped faster than a wife can figure out a way to spend a husband’s income. He’s just laying there. Might as well have been drunk again like last night. Our Rogue kills the orc. I move over to take care of the other one while our druid moves up and heals the Dragonborn. Confirmation of uselessness. Once we arrived at the temple we found it guarded by two goblins. A quick plan of the druid and rogue going around the mound underneath which laid the temple while myself and the dragonborn moved towards them in the open was agreed on. Best laid plans rarely work out perfectly. I noticed a two-man goblin patrol behind us and charged the goblins. Whiff. Whiff again. Bam – man did my head get rocked by the goblin. Our dragon born realized they were there and came up to… Eldritch blast a goblin. I guess he’s not only a useless dragon born, he’s a warlock at that. I’d never heard of a useless warlock before. The Dragon born curse can hit that profession as well as others I suppose. I kill the one goblin and the other runs. Big, slow, worthless dragon couldn’t kill or catch the other. Onto the plan to gain entrance to the temple. Rogue and Druid do their share with the Druid toying with his goblin. Picked him up with a thorn and then dropped him far enough to kill him. Ael was a clean kill as usual. I’m glad to have him on my side. Entrance to the temple… and Ael hits a rock. We can hear the goblins from inside stop talking. I shouted in that guttural Goblin Tongue to stand at attention and turn the corner right as I finish to slay the first of the goblins inside the area. Kel turns the corner and lashes another goblin and pulls him into a sacrificial pit. I can feel the power of Torm surge momentarily as one who was defacing his temple is sacrificed to him. Our useless dragon born turns the corner and misses. Ael kills another. While fighting, two goblins have ran further into the temple and that goblin Birger missed earlier came back with another patrol. Ael takes a nasty wound as does Birger. Having my shield as my faith, especially in a temple dedicated to Paladins of all Orders, I stepped forward to protect my companions and slayed another goblin. The other quickly gets taken down by Ael and the one who ran previously is hurting bad when the dragon born shows he can at least scratch someone to death. Looking around as the bodies are looted I notice a glorious painting of Paladins of multiple Orders all on the same field of battle fighting some titanic struggle against denizens of hell. Directly across the room is a huge saying: “I swear to serve Law, Battle Chaos, and strike to keep the Dileahan Lore Secret”. We quickly follow the previous running goblins straight into a room with a trap (Ael… so nimble yet takes it to the groin). Following more we entered a room with the goblins talking excitedly towards a giant bug bear. A Goblin shaman is mid ritual with young human female stuck in a cage looking like ritual meat. That ritual is being done in front a statue of a Paladin. We quickly engage in combat. I strike and kill the first goblin while watching green flame bounce and harm the bug bear. The rest of the party takes down the Shaman as I kill the second goblin and again watch the holy flames bounce to the bug bear. At this point I watch our useless Dragonborn Warlock step up. Certain he is going to get chopped down he surprises me twice. So quickly I almost dropped my sword. He hits the bugbear hard. While quickly mumbling through a shield spell to save his own hide at the same time. Damn impressive! Maybe he isn’t useless. I shall have to consider that more. I quickly down the bugbear when the opportunity presents itself. Kel lets the girl out of the cage and she quickly runs and beats on Ael till she collapses. Pretty certain Birger roaring at her didn’t help trying to calm her down. I kneel and pray the words from the previous room “I swear to serve Law, Battle Chaos, and strike to keep the Dileahan Lore Secret”. Instantly a door swings open to a room with 8 normal looking sarcophagi with a 9th sarcophagus on a raised dais with a beautiful sculpture of the dead knight inside. On the surface is a sword being held by the long dead knight’s hands. As I go forward the sword glows and I can see the word “Gemini” on it. I feel it longing for me so I grasp it and then leave the room with a prayer of Thanks to Torm while having my companions leave the other dead alone in their graves. We lock the room back up and take out some of the trash as we leave the temple. I’m certain we will be back to clean it up and restore it to its proper beauty in the future. On our way back we find out that “useless” dragon born has a perfect memory of where he has been. Fine, he’s not totally useless. Leading us home with the young lady in our arms we see and follow some tracks. Instantly upon seeing us an acolyte of some sorts attacks. The party makes quick work of him as I kill his two “frog” guards easily. Upon arriving home we quickly make our way to a wizard named Stormfire and he quickly identifies the sword as one of the great myth/legendary swords of Elven Make called the Dragon Fangs. Even he wasn’t certain they were real. He establishes what the sword shall do once quickly attuned and says the blade may become even more powerful when used frequently. The Fangs were super strong and imparted multiple different abilities per blade. Maybe finding more could be useful to reforge law and order into this world. Back at the Inn – Ollwin tells us of when he was a young man growing up in this Inn when it belonged to his father. Adventurers kept a map and refence points around the village based on their questing by carving the wooden table in the middle of the room. Looking around at each other’s faces… this seems like it could be fun. Kel quickly tells us he is going to spend the next few days checking out the other inn in town. I plan to relax and make my way around to the artisans and workers of this fair town while making sure Birger and Tim get to know each other to make dedicated maps that we could sell and update for both income and knowledge. Ael? I think he left through the back already. On my way back from the wizards I may have heard someone discussing a War Cleric having come into town in our absence. I pray Helm has sent an ally, even if of a different God, to help me correct this world and get it back on the path to righteousness.